Button-making machine.



F. M.'KEANE. BUTTON MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.28, 1910. 1,036,857.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W/TA/ESSES: 1%

46 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

F. M. KEANE. BUTTON MAKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 00'1.28, 1910.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA mNocRAPH cm, WASHlNu'l'ON. D c:

F. M. KEANE. BUTTON MAKING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

7 SHEETSSHEET 4.

RM. KEANE.

BUTTON MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.28, 1910.

WITNESSES.

@ ATTORNEY COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0" WASHINGTON, D- C,

F. M. KEANE. BUTTON MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001 .29, 1910.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

'7 SHEETS-S'HEET WITNESSES: lNVE/VTUR 2 ATTORNEY COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH co WASHINGTON. D. c;

F. M. KEANE.

BUTTON MAKING MAOHINE. APPLIOATIONPILED 0012s, 1910.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

WI TNESSES:

COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH Cm. WASHINGTON. D. c.

P. M. KEANE. BUTTON MAKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 0012a, 1910.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

All"

l I I I l Ill-r M in WI TNESSES:

FRANCIS M. KEANE, OF BOTSFORD STATION, CONNECTICUT.

BUTTON-MAKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

Application filed October 28, 1910. Serial No. 589,561.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. KEANE, citizen of the United States, residing at Botsford Station, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Making Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in button making machines adapted to cut buttons from horn and other like stock, and it has for its object to increase the production by certain improved mechanism and arrangement thereof that will best achieve this result.

Among the several improved features may be mentioned that of adjustably mounting the cutter carrying spindle standards on a horizontal plane and feeding the stock on an incline plane, staggering the cutting spindles and arranging them to correspond to the incline of the feed to more effectively and economically cut the stock with the least possible waste. Arranging the stock feeding sprocket chains on an incline and laterally adjusting the channel irons in which they run, and means for adjusting the sprocket wheels to change the incline of the feed. Independent and interchangeable frames carrying stock guiding plates having cutter holes therein for different sizes of cutters so that different sizes of buttons may be cut on the same machine, one frame having a chamber for chips, and the other having two chambers, one chamber for the general reception and delivery of finished buttons, and a button sampling chamber communicating with each cutter spindle with mechanism for diverting the product from any spindle into the sampling chamber, and operating said mechanism from the stock feeding end of the machine. Skipping one or more buttons in the same row and increasing the number of cutting spindles to cut the intermediate stock and thereby cut as fast as the stock can be fed into the machine. These and other features will be set forth in the following specification.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like figures and letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the sew eral views: Figure 1 represents an upper plan view of the machine; Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the machine on line aa of Fig. 8, and one of the spindle actuating levers on line 6-1), Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine and sectional view of the driving shaft on line 0-c ofFig. 2, and broken View of the legs and air and discharge chutes; Fig. 4: is a sectional view on line cZcZ and e@ of Fig. 2, also broken view of the machine legs and air and discharge chutes; Fig. 5 is a detail view of the stock partially cut; Fig. 6 is an enlarged broken side elevation of the chip receiving frame and one of the guide walls comprising the stock feeding channel Way; Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line ff of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail front elevation of the chain sprocket mechanism and cross sectional view of the actuating rod for same; Fig. 9 is a broken sectional view of the machine bed, cross sectional view of the feed chain channels, and elevation of two of their adjustable supporting standards on line gg of Fig. 1; Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail broken side elevation partly in section of the chain feeding mechanism; Fig. 11 is an in verted plan view of the feeding mechanism looking in the direction of arrow h of Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is an enlarged broken upper plan view of the button receiving box or frame; Fig. 13 is an enlarged broken front elevation of the button receiving frame looking in the direction of arrow '5 of Fig. 12, and sectional view of the frame on line j-j of Fig. 14; Fig. 1 1 is an enlarged sectional view of the button receiving frame on line 7c-7c of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is an enlarged sectional view of the button receiving frame on line z-z of Fig. 13; and Fig. 16 is an enlarged broken view partly in section of the button and sample button discharge chutes. 1 represents the side walls of the bed, 2 the table portion integral therewith having the central depression to form the channelway 2*. 1

3 and 4 are a series of longitudinally adjustable standards mounted on the table portion of the bed and on each side of the central stock feeding line presently to be described. These standards are secured in any of their adjusted positions by means of the bolts 5 and 6 and the T-shaped slots 7 and 8. The standards 3 carry the spindles 9 having the cutters 10 at their inner ends and the driving pulleys 11, and the standards 4, the

spindles 12, cutters 13, and driving-pub leys 14.

The spindles are actuated to and from the cutting field by means of the levers and 16pivoted at 15 and 16 and their cams. -17-and 18 mounted on the main shaft 19,

having the driving pulley 19 shown more clearly at Fig. 2. 20 (see also Fig. 3) isa bolt located in the hub of the lever 15 which carries on its inner end the roll21 to engagethe groove '22 of the cam. It will be understood that the cam 18 is likewise equipped j with a similar bolt and roll, but not shown. Brackets 23 and 24 (F igs; l, 2 and on the end of thelevers 15 and 16 carry'the rods 25' and 26, andsecured'to these rods are the =ser1'es of short levels 27 and 28 carrying the adjusting bolts 29*ancl 30, whose inner heads carrythe spring fingers 31 and 32 adapted to straddle the cutting spindles as shown more clearly at Fig. 2. 'These fingers engage with the collars 33 and 34 on the spindles to draw said spindlesback from the cutting field while the heads 29 and of the bolts 29 and30 engage with ends of the spindles toforce them toward the cutting field.

When the stock has been fed the required distance it is held stationary between the guide-plates 35 and 36 during the cutting operation by means of themovablejaw 37 actuated by' the springs--38 1) on the rods 39, which rods areanchored in the ears 37 of the jaws 37, and the cross-bars 40.

:These rods have a longitudinalmovement through the. spindle standards 3 and the springs are located between said standards and the fixe'd collars 41 on said rods.

When the stock42 (Fig. 5) is'being fed through the channel-way 43 (Figs. 1 and 2) the jaws are temporarily retreated through the medium of thecam 44 on shaft 19; lever '45 secured to the rocker shaft 46 (see also 'Fig. '3) and the levers 47 secured to the levers 47 are forked to straddle the cutter second rockershaft 48. The upper-ends of spin'dles and engagewith the inside faces iby it m'anner 'onythe' rods 54f=to thejsprings on the opposite-yside of thestock feeding: line, as

scattering "(3f chips. *521 are a similar series 6f hood embracing the cutter ends of the spindles 12 1 and for -'a "similar purpose. :Th'ese latter hoods are i normally maintained against the out'er4 face of the guide "plate- 36 the 1 springs 53= operatingi'iin arsimilar 65 h'ereinbefore 4 described, except that said springs are located between the ears 52 of the-hoods and the standards 4.

The sections of stock are entered into the channel-way 43 between the guide plates 35 and36 at the point A, Fig. 1, and they are intermittently fed therethrough on an incline by-means of the endless sprocket chains 55 and 56 and the sprocket wheels 57 58, 59 and 60. These chains run through the incline channel irons 61 and 62 (Figs. 2, 4 and 9) mounted on the adjustablestandards 63 and 64 seen at Figs. 4 and-9. As the stock is soft enough to admit of the links of the chains making indentations therein under -pressure,the amount of pressure requiredto *effect a sure feeding of the stock is regulated by means of the lateral adjustablecharacter of the supporting standards of said channel ironsasseen at Fig.)9. The channel iron 62, Figs. 2 and 9, is provided with the overlapping lip 62 on which the lower edge of the stock rests so that a support for said "stock is always provided regardless of the adjustment of the channel irons. The

sprocket wheel supporting brackets 65, 66, '67and 68 (Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 8) are also adapted to have a lateral adjustment, as shown clearly at Fig. 8, to conform'to the lateral adjustment of the channel iron standards before mentioned. The brackets 69 and 7 0 supporting the ratchet wheels 71 and 72 also have this same lateral adjustment. 7

The sprocket wheels 59:and are keyed to their shafts 73 and 74 and to the bushings 75 and'76 rotatably-mounted in the frames 77 and 78 pivota'lly supported on the bolts 79 and 80 extending through the ears'of'the brackets '65 and 66. These frames :are clamped'in any of their adjusted positions by nuts, one, 77 being-shown at Fig. 3. 'The lower'ends-of these sprocket wheel shafts are connected by universal joints, asshown,

to the short ratchet wheel shafts 81 and 82.

1 These latter shafts are also keyed-tothe bushings S3 and 84, Fig. 8, rotatably mounted in the brackets 69 and 70. 'When the frames carrying the sprocket'wheels are tilted on theirpivotal supports to change ifnecessary, the angle of' the chains, the ratchet wheel shafts are-allowed a free' vertical movement to readily conform-to the changed 'positions-of said frames. The other sprocket wheel shafts-85 and 86,Fig. 1, are rotatably connected to the frames 87 and'88, F igs.- 3 and 4,-in a mannersimilar :to that explained forsprocket wheels 59and-60,and these frames 1 are pivotally supported on bolts 89 -and"9 0 extending through theears of the standards 91 and 92 so that said frames havethesame radial "adjustment and means for clamping them in any of their adju' sted positions as the before mentioned sprocket wheel frames on the oppositeside of the machine.

The mechanism for 'actuating the chain feed consists, Figs. 2, 4, 10 and 11, of the sector toothed gear 93 mounted on the main shaft 19, and 'the intermittent pinion 94 on the short shaft 95. The number of teeth in the continuously running gear 93 and the pinion being equal, and the toothless portion of the gear and pinion being on the pitch line, the pinion will make one revolution to represent the feed and be held stationary by the contact of said pitch lines, Fig. 10, while the cutting spindles are in operation.

The crank plate 96 on the shaft 95 carries the adjustable wrist pin 97 for varying the length of the feed to suit the cutting of large orsmall buttons presently to be described. The connecting rod 98 connects with said wrist pin and one end of the horizontally operating rod 99, while the other end of said latter rod connects with the arms 100 and 101 carrying the pawls 102 and 103 adapted to engage the ratchet wheels 71 and 72. The short arms 104 and 105 are journaled on the bushings 83 and 84 see also atFig. 8).

As before mentioned, the stock is entered into the channel way 43 between the guides 35 and 36 and at the point A, Figs. 1 and 4, and rest on the projecting lip 62 Figs. 2 and 9, of the inclined channel iron chain guide 62 and is fed along by the contact therewith of the chains 55 and 56. To increase the product or cutting capacity of machines of this character, and to cut the stock as fast as it can be fed, the stock is advanced by each impulse or stroke of the feeding mechanism a distance equal to the diameter of one or more buttons, plus the intervening scrap or waste, and increasing the number of cutting spindles so as to cut the intervening stock that has been skipped. As the stock is wide enough to cut out the several rows of holes as shown at Fig. 5, the cutting spindles on each side of the stock feeding line are arranged in pairs each pair operating on each row or line represented by the holes at 0 g s a 'w. The holes 106', 107 108, and 109 etc., in the guide plate 36, Fig. 4, admit the cutter ends of the spindles 12, Figs. 1 and 2. The pair of holes 106 and 107 are equal distance from the lip 62*, on which, as before stated, the stock rests. In like manner each successive pair of holes is equal distance from said lip, but on a lower plane.

At the entrance of the stock into the feeding channel 43, Fig. 1, the cutter for hole 106*, Fig. 4, will out the first hole m, Fig. 5, of the top line of holes. The feeding mechanism will then advance the stock to cut the second hole at to the right. The stock will then be advanced far enough for the cutter for hole 107 to cut the intermediate hole n in the stock and so on throughout the entire upper line of holes,

which holes represent so many buttons out out. As the stock advances, the cutters for holes 108 and 109 will operate, and, being on a lower plane, will cut the holes 0 79, Fig. 5, in the second line of holes in the stock in the same manner and so on with re spect to the cutters in the other holes, viz.: 110 ,'11r, 112 ne 114, 115 116 and 117 for the remaining lines of holes in the stock. The distance between the several pairs of holes in the guide plates are less by one-half of a hole than the distance between the holes of the pair, so that the holes of one line will be intermediate of the holes in the lines above and below, thereby avoiding unnecessary waste of stock. In other words, the distance between the last hole 107 and the hole 108 is less by one-half of a hole than the distance between 106 and 107, or between 108 and 109 etc. As soon as the feeding mechanism has advanced the stock the required distance, the jaws 37 Fig. 2, will advance and hold the stock while the series of cutting spindles 9 are brought into operation to form one side of the buttons, the chips falling through holes 118 (see also Fig. 7 into the chamber 120 of the frame 121, and are carried from thence down the discharge chute 122, Fig. 3, by means of a current of air drawn up through the pipe 123, which latter is also seen at Fig. 2. As soon as one side of the buttons has been finished, the cutter spindles 9 are retreated and the cutter spindles 12 are brought into action to complete the opposite side of the buttons and sever them from the stock, the chips and buttons falling through holes 124 (see also Figs. 12 and 14) into the chamber 125 of the frame 126, and are carried from thence through the discharge chute 127, Figs. 6, 13 and 16, to a separator (not shown).

To ascertain the quality of work being done by each individual cutter spindle at any time without disturbing the operation of the machine, the second or sample compartment 128 Figs. 2, 13, 14 and 15, is provided to run parallel with the compartment or chamber 125, the two chambers being divided a portion of the way by the partition 129, the remaining portion of the uper inclosed box-like structure, formed by the sides 130, 131 and top 131, is shut off by the trap door 132, supported on the rod 133. It will be understood that this boxlike structure and trap door is provided un-. der each of the cutting ends of the spindles 12, and to avoid confusion the same figure of reference will be applied to the same individual elements. On each trap door rod is attached the lever 134, and to each of these levers is attached the cord or chain 135, Fig. 12, running over the pulleys 136 to' the end of the machine where the operator sits. The trap door 132 is connected to the second and longer trap door 137, Figs. 2 and 14,.

bysithe' rodi 138; so tlfat;-"wh'en&tthei operator desires to1 inspeotfthe" work of=any cutter, ithe proper cord is pulled: and thearap door '2 132 is carried over into rthe Ydotted i position shown at Fig. l tiland'through the medium -*-'of" the eonne'ctingf rod 138 the seoond "trap f'door' is carried "into "the dotted wp'osition shown-to close "the ohamberl125'aand shunt the 1 button ithatvwould otherW-ise 'f fii'll 1 into 22- this chamber, Pinto" the isam ple ch'a'mberi 2128,

where-it will sbe'eon'veyed downmthroughahe chute 139 and' into the idrawer 140, Figs; 4, 1 18 and? 16,1 and "close to' the 'operatorflwhere they can -bereadilyfinspected, the same iprin- 5.11 5 cipler of air suction being employed to" con- -i vey "the 1 contents of-nboth chambers i .125. and 128 as employed 'ztor 'the." oh'amberl 120, but by means Not T the asep'arate air; intake .141 shown :at Fi'gAQ. fAS.' tl'led13;WeI -llo will agg nmakel adea d? end tothe chute 139 and liable 1 thereby twinterferemvitlr the: direct" *aire 'suci 'tioni for i the regular buttomidischm'ge chute 1127; ithe wire-screen 142 is placed: inkthe-tparvtition wall dividing the' two 'iohutes. 5 As 5 before mentioned, 1 this: machine is adaptedto "cut 'vari'ous sizes of buttons by simply: providing different T cutters and inwterchangeable chip and button receiving 1 framess121z'andi 126, Whlbl1: fnames' earryv ithe g gaoa guide plates-*andr86 and :therhoods 37: and '52. iIn changing from onez size ofobutton to -another; these aframes are" removed and replaced by: others whose? "guide plates have holes-for thee-size for Fthe cutters required 535 1 and pmperly-Jspaced sons. :to out -thevstock economically; "iZhBIli :the'spindle: standards 3 =-and 4.- are? laterally radjustedi toibring :the "cutters intoialinemenh with: the holes in the :rguide plates of. the replaced frames; and the M 0; 'partson rods 23,. 25,- 26,:46i andi48warenad+ justed to conform: to ofithe'standards.

While I a show the stock -as being "sup; *ported on lip oflone of the =chann'el irons @545 for the -chai-ns, "other well known wmeans 1 may be employedpor the=support oan be dis+ pensed with entirely and theargrip of ohains--depen'ded-' upon to maintain the lint '"cline feed-of the-stock. :The chainsnco'uld the adjusted positions $550136 dispensed -withlandaother' well known means could be employed for aieedingut'h stock. While I show the "cutter spindles war-f ranged and operating in 1 pairs; each p'air M operatingr 5011 a' different line, -it *willbe un? 'derstood by those skilled *in;.the@ arti that-the "spindles could bewarranged -=to #operate in wgroups 0f threeor more, which =woi1ld en; able the:stook to beled withig'reater rapid 1:60 =ity with: a correspondingly inoreasedwpro izduction. =sHaving "ithus *i' desoribed my winvention awhat I claim is g :1 L slfni a :buttonmaking "-machine ihaving a *seriestof cutter spindles and guidez-plates' meanest? fhavingf' cuttenholes wherein; a-iifra'me having chamberato receive?finishedebuttonsrand a ibutton :sampling i chamber parallel 'ithereiwith,': means :f'for temporarily shutting --"off {the product of any-Iispindle'ltfiromfthe button chamberand depositing said product-tin the sampling "chamber.

- 52.21n abuttonmaking machinehaving a "seriesof cutter-spindles, aframezhaving a rchamber "=lto"recei vei"ifini'shed.:butt0ns@ -and a button sampling "chamber, means for shutting-"oil? communication: between any oneof Ithei cutter spindles and theibuttonrec eiving i chamberand? depositingi'the produetiofsaid "spindle into the sampling a chamber, cand .1 means at" one 'point :of the machine for :de-

positing the pro'du'ct of. ianyi-one spindle of "the 'series into :the sampling-chamber.

2A button making machine'comprising a" horizontal -bed,-' standards mounted there-vv on; a series "ofr opposed'f'cutter spindles in :said standards; means Whereby said- "stand- *=ardswwrei adjusted to vary the xdistance between :thespindles tonp'ermit the use of different sized cutters, removable guide plates 'r-between whiclr1the ==st0ck -iszt adaptedto be fed 2on an-incline :p'lane,' said platesl :having "-holes to admit :the spindle ."cutters, and

I means for intermittently feeding (the stock.

54;. A'buttonimaking; :machine comprisingx a: horizontalu'bed, standards mounted; Ethereseon, aseriesof opposed cutter tspindles mounted :in the' standardsflmeans whereby saidstandardssare adjusted to vary theadisitance between" the spindles tozrtpermitithei use-of -difi'erentfl fsized 'cutters, removable rguide rplates thawing holes a to .x admit- :the :"spindle cutters; an inclined; support for. the "stoek,i=meansa forintermittentlyfeeding @the "stock "between the iguidez vplates,z=ands :means .105

:for i'a'otu ating -the: spindles to: and i'fironr said iguideiplates. V

l 5. A buttonrfmaking machine comprising a horizontal bed,-: standards mounted thereon, a series of -iopp'osed woutter spindles 4110 mounted in. thei st-andards,-'imeans whereby 'said standards are adjusted: to vary the distances-between thea spindles to 3 permit the v use of cutters *of difi'erent 1 sizes, "removable :rguide plates :---havingholes --to admit Ethei spindle euttersu'anciinclined support: for: the stoeky meansforriintermittently 'feeding the stock between ithe guidejplates, the cutter spindles on :ea'ch side'of the feeding li-ne arranged in staggered pairs, each pair the; same distance from the inclined stock support; and-each alternatespindle on" ea'eh side of the stock':feeding lineffthe samedistance :fromlthe bed, the distancefrorrr each pair of holes being less than the distance between3125 the holes of the .pairs.

6. "A". button imaking-zma'chi-ne comprisii'ig a horizontal bed, a series of opposed-standitlIdS mounted ;-:thereon,= cutter spindles in :said standards yan incline support itor theb -l30 stock, said standards varying in height from the inclined stock support to enable buttons to be cut on difierent lines, or rows, means for adjusting the standards to vary the distance between the cutter spindles, removable guide plates on each side of the stock feeding line having holes to admit the spindle cutters, means for feeding the stock, and means for changing the angle of the feed and stock support.

7. A button machine comprising a horizontal bed, standards mounted thereon, a series of opposed cutter spindles mounted in the standards, means whereby said standards are laterally adjusted to and from each other to vary the distance between the spindles to permit the use of different sized cutters and the insertion of other spindles and standards.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS M. KEANE.

Witnesses JAMEs FEELEY, G120. D. PHILLIP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

